Cane or crutch tip

ABSTRACT

Three embodiments of a tip or head for a cane or crutch are disclosed. The tip is formed from a cylindrical segment, the bottom surface of which is provided with an anti-slip device for engaging the ground. The upper extremity of the tip is provided with a resilient member securable to the bottom of the crutch or cane.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,731,698 Buchalter 51 May 8, 1973 [54] CANE OR CRUTCH TIP FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [76] Inventor: Gilbert Buchalter, -5551 Prospect 1,181,795 2/1970 Canada ..l35l57 Avenue, Newark, NJ. Primary ExaminerPeter M. Caun [22] Flled' 1971 Attorney-Lerner, David & Littenberg [21] Appi. No.: 131,261

[57] ABSTRACT 52 u.s. Cl ..135/62 Three embodiments of a p or head for a cane or 51 lm. C1. ..A45b 9/04 crutch are disclosed- The p is formed from a cylindri- [58] Field of Search 135/5742, Cal Segment, the bottom Surface of which is Provided 64; 280/1137 P, 1137 N 1137 with an anti-slip device for engaging the ground. The Z 1137 E upper extremity of the tip is provided with a resilient A member securable to the bottom of the crutch or [56] References Cited cane UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,449,509 9/1948 Richards ..l35/58 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 3,199,886 8/1965 Dover Plmimmmw 8l975 TIEJ. ii

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CANE R CRUTCH TIP FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to canes and crutches and particularly to cane and crutch tips.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When a person first puts a crutch on the ground and attempts to place the weight of his body for support thereon, the shaft or pole of the crutch is at an angle with respect to the ground so that a fairly substantial force parallel to the ground is developed. This force tends to cause the crutch to slip. To aggravate the situation, during this interval, the entire contacting surface of the crutch does not engage the ground because of the angle.

Crutch tips have been developed such as those disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,040,757; US. Pat. No. 2,230,406 and US. Pat. No. 1,429,428 for example, which have attempted to overcome various aspects of this problem. While these crutch tips solve some of the above problems for normal crutch usage, they do not function properly when a patient with minimal muscular ability employs the crutch to bring him from a sitting or reclining position to an upright position. When the crutch or cane is employed for such a purpose maximum undesirable forces are developed which are not compensated for in the prior art canes and crutches.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cane or crutch tip which will continue to engage the ground when an attempt is made to support ones weight thereon, continuously from a reclining to a standing position.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide such a crutch or cane tip which will not slip.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a cane or crutch which will stand unaided. For convenience of a person in need of a cane or crutch, it would be a decided advantage to have a cane or crutch that stands by itself.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved cane or crutch tip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A cane or crutch terminating member for supporting a cane or crutch pole at various angles with respect to the ground surface is provided with a body member having a bottom surface for resting against the ground surface and an open top portion, and a flexible connecting member secured to the opened top portion of the body member. The flexible connecting member includes apparatus for connection to the cane or crutch pole. Of course the flexible connecting member and the body member may be integral, but of different flexibility of material in the direction stresses are applied.

In one embodiment of this invention, the flexible connecting member includes a hub for attachment to the cane or crutch pole and spokes extending therefrom for attachment to the rigid body member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A more complete understanding of the invention can be had with reference to the following drawings and detailed specifications in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a cane constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 2- 2 showing in particular the flexible connecting member made from a spoked rubber disc;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing constructional features of the cane shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a cane or crutch terminating member in which the flexible connecting member is constructed from wire spokes;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4 showing the attachment of the spokes from a hub to a rigid body member; and

FIG. 6 is a section view showing a third embodiment of the invention in which a flexible rubber disc or diaphragm is employed to connect a cane or crutch pole to a rigid body member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1 we see a cane having a pole 10 shown in solid lines and a terminating member 11 which rests upon a ground surface 12. The cane, constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention, can have its handle and shaft 10 rotated through various angular increments without the terminating member 11 disengaging from the ground surface 12. In FIG. 1, the handle and shaft 10 are shown in phantom in two additional positions 10a and 10b demonstrating some of the positions which the handle 10 can assume.

The terminating member 11 is made up from three parts (see FIG. 2 and 3 together with FIG. 1). The bulk of the terminating member 11 is formed by a rigid or semi-rigid body member 13 which is angular in shape. In this embodiment the rigid body member is made from sheet metal wrapped back upon itself to form the rigid angular body member 13. A flexible connecting member 14 is attached to the upper portion of the rigid body member 13. In this embodiment the flexible connecting member 14 is made from a hard flexible material in the shape of a spoked wheel having a hub 16 at the center thereof through which the cane handle 10 is attached by a threaded screw 16.

An outer ring-shaped portion 18 of the flexible connecting member 14 is connected to the top of the rigid body member 13 by tabs 19 integral to the rigid bodymember 13 wrapped thereabout. A plurality of spokes 21 connect the ring-shaped portion 18 of the flexible body member 14 to the hub 16.

It is of course possible to make a rigid body or semirigid member and a flexible member in integral form by merely having the two areas exhibit the proper physical properties. For purposes of the disclosure, such an integrally made structure shall be considered as a rigid or semi-rigid body member attached to a flexible connecting member.

An anti-slip ring 22 is connected to the bottom portion of the rigid body member 13 to rest against the ground 12. In this embodiment of the invention, a person using the crutch or cane would merely place the slip ring 22 upon the ground resting his weight upon the cane or crutch handle 10. When pressing down the entire bottom surface of the rigid body member 13 would press against the ground 12 via the slip ring 22. The flexibility of the flexible connecting member 14 allows the handle of the cane to assume any desired position during this interval while maintaining a maximum force downward against the ground.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, we see, an alternate embodiment of this invention in which the flexible connecting member is made from two sets of wired spokes 23 and 24. Both sets of spokes 23 and 24 are connected at a similar position along the rigid body member I3 while the opposite ends thereof are connected alternately at higher and lower positions to a hub 26. In this way, the flexible wire spokes 23 and 24 are given sufficient strength to support the weight of a person when leaning down yet sufficient flexibility to assume various positions during the time when the angle of the cane handle 10 is inclined.

In FIG. 6, we see a third embodiment of this invention in which the flexible connecting member is made from a solid rubber disc 27. The rubber disc 27 is connected to the body member 13 in the same manner as in the embodiment shown in FIG. I. In this embodiment the disc 27 may be slightly larger than necessary to cover the top of the rigid body member 13 and may be curved in an upper direction to give added flexibility. In this embodiment it has been found that the cane or crutch will support its own weight and stand upright without aid. It has also been found that small holes may be made in the side of the rigid body member 13 to allow air to escape therefrom preventing entrapped air from creating undesired suction forces.

A washer 28 may be mounted between the shaft 10 and the disc 27 to adjust the flexibility thereof. An additional washer 29 may be employed to give an added degree of freedom in adjusting flexibility.

While this invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments thereof, numerous additional embodiments will become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art and light thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A cane or crutch terminating member for supporting a cane or crutch pole at various angles with respect to a ground surface, said terminating member including:

a body member having a bottom surface for resting against said ground surface and an opened top portion;

a flexible connecting member secured to said opened top portion of said body member; said flexible connecting member including means for connection to said cane or crutch pole;

said flexible connecting member is formed from a disc of flexible material; and

said body member has securing members formed on the top portion thereof from said sheet of material, said securing members passing through and around said disc and securing said disc to said body member.

2. The cane or crutch terminating member as defined in claim 1 in which said disc of flexible material has spokes formed integral thereto.

3. The cane or crutch terminating member as defined in claim 2 in which said bottom surface of said body member is formed from an anti-slip material.

4. A cane or crutch terminating member for supporting a cane or crutch pole at various angles with respect to a ground surface, said terminating member includi body member having a bottom surface for resting against said ground surface and an opened top portion;

a flexible connecting member secured to said opened top portion of said body member; said flexible connecting member including means for connection to said cane or crutch pole;

said flexible connecting member is formed from a disc of flexible material; and

a washer mounted on said disc to vary the flexibility thereof. 

1. A cane or crutch terminating member for supporting a cane or crutch pole at various angles with respect to a ground surface, said terminating member including: a body member having a bottom surface for resting against said ground surface and an opened top portion; a flexible connecting member secured to said opened top portion of said body member; said flexible connecting member including means for connection to said cane or crutch pole; said flexible connecting member is formed from a disc of flexible material; and said body member has securing members formed on the top portion thereof from said sheet of material, said securing members passing through and around said disc and securing said disc to said body member.
 2. The cane or crutch terminating member as defined in claim 1 in which said disc of flexible material has spokes formed integral thereto.
 3. The cane or crutch terminating member as defined in claim 2 in which said bottom surface of said body member is formed from an anti-slip material.
 4. A cane or crutch terminating member for supporting a cane or crutch pole at various angles with respect to a ground surface, said terminating member including: a body member having a bottom surface for resting against said ground surface and an opened top portion; a flexible connecting member secured to said opened top portion of said body member; said flexible connecting member including means for connection to said cane or crutch pole; said flexible connecting member is formed from a disc of flexible material; and a washer mounted on said disc to vary the flexibility thereof. 